1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reel and a drive device having the reel on which is wound a recording tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recording tape such as magnetic tapes and the like are used as an external recording medium for computers and the like. Such recording tape has large recording surface area, and is mainly used as recording medium for back-up of large volumes of information. Accordingly, it is preferred to prevent the recording tape from being adhered thereto dust or dirt, and it is also preferred that accommodating space for storage is smaller.
For the above reason, a recording tape cartridge, in which a recording tape is wound on a single reel and which rotatably contains the reel in a case, is adopted. The case of this recording tape cartridge can prevent the recording tape from being adhered thereto dust or dirt. Further, comparing this recording tape cartridge (a single-reel cartridge) with a recording tape cartridge in which, in addition to the first reel, a second reel for retracting the recording tape at a time when information is to be recorded on or played back from the recording tape is provided (a two-reel cartridge), accommodating space for storage of the two-reel cartridge can become substantially the half of that of the single-reel cartridge.
A recording tape cartridge provided with a leader block connected directly to a tip end (a free end) of a recording tape or connected to the tip end of the recording tape via a leader tape or the like, is known. The leader block is held at outside an opening (held at in the vicinity of the opening), from which the recording tape is drawn, provided at the case of the recording tape cartridge. The leader block functions as an operating member when the recording tape is drawn from the case. Also, the leader block functions as a closing member for closing the opening from which the recording tape is drawn.
The recording tape cartridge described above is loaded into a drive device at the time when information is to be recorded on the recording tape or when the information is to be reproduced from the recording tape on which the information is recorded. In the drive device to which the recording tape cartridge is loaded, a pulling out device operates the leader block to draw the recording tape from the case, and the recording tape is guided along a predetermined tape path to accommodate the leader block in a hub (a reel hub) of a machine reel (a take-up reel).
This state will be explained base on FIG. 14A. A concave portion 100 is formed at a leader block 106 at a central position in a longitudinal direction of the leader block 106. A tip end of a recording tape 104 is connected to the concave portion 100 via a clamp pin 102. The leader block 106 is accommodated in a fitting portion 112 provided at a hub 110 of a machine reel 108 (hereinafter, a reel 108). An end surface of the leader block 106, positioned at an opening end of the fitting portion 112, is an arc-curvature surface 116 corresponding to a peripheral surface 114 of the hub 110. The arc shaped curvature surface 116, together with the peripheral surface 114, forms a winding surface 118, on which the magnetic tape 104 is wound, having a substantially circle configuration in plane view. The magnetic tape 104 is wound on the winding surface 118 by driving to rotate the reel 108 (the hub 110) within the drive device.
However, an arc length of the curvature surface 116, formed at the end surface in the longitudinal direction of the leader block 106 and forming a part of the winding surface 118, is short. In other words, a protrude-length (a protrude-distance in radial direction) xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d of the arc-curvature surface 116 from the opening edge of the fitting portion 112 is small, as shown in FIG. 14A. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 14B, it may occur that the arc-curvature surface 116 is positioned within the fitting portion 112 (the arc-curvature surface 116 does not protrude from the fitting portion 112) even if an accommodated position of the leader block 106 in the fitting portion 112 is merely slightly shifted from a proper position.
In this case, a folded portion (deformed portion) is generated on the recording tape 104 by the opening edge of the fitting portion 112. Due to this folded portion, in similar way, other folded portions are generated at portions, corresponding to the opening edge of the fitting portion 112, of the recording tape 104 wound further on the hub 110. These folded portions of the recording tape 104 are in substantial recording-region of the tape. Therefore, regions on the recording tape 104 on which information cannot be recorded may be generated or information recorded on the recording tape 104 may be lost, due to the folded portions of the recording tape 104. Because a distance between said portion of the recording tape 104 and a recording and reproducing (play back) head is not a proper distance at the time of recording the information or playing back the information.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 14C, in a case in which the accommodated position of the leader block 106 in the fitting portion 112 is shifted from the proper position, and the curvature surface 116 protrudes further than the peripheral surface 114 of the hub 110, the recording tape 104 is wound along a protruded portion (a stepped portion) of a small zone on the winding surface 118, with a curvature that is larger than a predetermined winding curvature due to the arc length of the curvature surface 116 being short. Namely, the recording tape 104 is deformed at the protruded portion. In this case, due to this deformed portion of the recording tape 104, more deformed portions are generated at portions of the recording tape 104 wound further on the hub 110, in the similar way of the case described above. Therefore, regions on the recording tape 104 on which information cannot be recorded may be generated or information recorded on the recording tape 104 may be lost, due to these deformation.
Even in a case in which a leader pin (not the leader block) is attached to the tip end of the recording tape, namely, in a case in which the leader pin is pulled out from the case by the drawing device of the drive device, the leader pin is held at a holding portion provided at the hub, and the recording tape is wound by driving to rotate the machine reel, there is a stepped portion (an uneven portion) at the holding portion. Accordingly, the same problems mentioned above arise in this case.
Further, because data capacity recordable on single recording tape cartridge is not so large. Accordingly, if information cannot be recorded on single one recording tape cartridge because the data amount of the information is large, the information is divided such that the information is recorded on a plurality of the recording tape cartridges. In this case, because the conventional drive device cannot read data from or write data on a plurality of the recording tape cartridges at the same time, only single recording tape cartridge is loaded or ejected in, for example, one winding operation. Namely, the plurality of the recording tape cartridges cannot be loaded or ejected at one back up operation. Accordingly, there are problems that it takes long time to read or write information, further, operation of loading or ejecting the recording tape cartridge is troublesome.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a reel and a drive device preventing that a region of a recording tape on which information cannot be recorded is generated or information recorded on the recording tape is lost by preventing deformation of the recording tape, and which can easily read data from or write data on a recording tape cartridge in a short time.
The inventor of the present invention takes note that even if a stepped portion (an uneven portion) is formed at a holding portion provided at a hub, in a state in which the recording tape is wound on a reel to form many layers of the recording tape on the hub, further deformed portion is not generated on the recording tape. The inventor further takes note that the reel must be rotated to wind the recording tape. The inventor takes those into consideration, and invents that the uneven portion is eliminated at the time of this operation, and a plurality of the recording tapes can be wound on a single reel, and accomplishes the present invention.
A first aspect of the present invention is a drive device having a reel on which recording tapes are wound, the drive device comprising: a hub of the reel, on which a plurality of holding portions, for holding leader members to which distal ends of the recording tapes are attached, are formed, and on which hub the recording tapes are wound; and flexible members of a number equal to a number of the holding portions, which flexible members are wound on a peripheral surface of the hub by the recording tapes from peripheral surface sides so as to cover the respective holding portions.
In a second aspect of the present invention according to the first aspect, a plurality of the recording tapes are wound on the same peripheral surface of the hub.
In a third aspect of the present invention according to the second aspect, a plurality of recording tape cartridges of the recording tapes are accommodated at the same side with respect to the reel.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention according to the second aspect, a plurality of recording tape cartridges of the recording tapes are accommodated at opposite sides with respect to the reel.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention according to the fourth aspect, the plurality of recording tape cartridges of the recording tapes are accommodated at substantially symmetrical positions with respect to the reel.
In a sixth aspect of the present invention according to the first aspect, a plurality of the recording tapes are respectively wound on peripheral surfaces of the hub that differ in a direction of a rotation axis of the hub.
In a seventh aspect of the present invention according to the sixth aspect, a plurality of recording tape cartridges of the recording tapes are accommodated at the same side with respect to the reel.
In an eighth aspect of the present invention according to the sixth aspect, a plurality of recording tape cartridges of the recording tapes are accommodated at opposite sides with respect to the reel.
In a ninth aspect of the present invention according to the eighth aspect, the plurality of recording tape cartridges of the recording tapes are accommodated at substantially symmetrical positions with respect to the reel.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is a reel on which recording tapes are wound, the reel comprising: a hub, on which a plurality of holding portions, for holding leader members to which distal ends of the recording tapes are attached, are formed, and on which hub the recording tapes are wound; and flexible members of a number equal to a number of the holding portions, which flexible members are wound on a peripheral surface of the hub by the recording tapes from peripheral surface sides so as to cover the respective holding portions.
In an eleventh aspect of the present invention according to the tenth aspect, a plurality of the recording tapes are wound on the same peripheral surface of the hub.
In a twelfth aspect of the present invention according to the eleventh aspect, the reel comprises a first flexible member and a second flexible member, and two recording tapes are wound on the hub, in which hub, a first holding portion; a second holding portion; a first engaged portion in which the first flexible member is engaged; and a second engaged portion in which the second flexible member is engaged, are formed, wherein the first holding portion and the second holding portion are formed in the hub at substantially symmetrical positions with respect to a rotation axis of the hub, and the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion are formed in the hub at substantially symmetrical positions with respect to a rotation axis of the hub.
In a thirteenth aspect of the present invention according to the twelfth aspect, the first flexible member covers the second holding portion and the second engaged portion, and the second flexible member covers the first holding portion and the first engaged portion.
In a fourteenth aspect of the present invention according to the twelfth aspect, thicknesses of tip end portions of the first flexible member and the second flexible member are respectively gradually thinner toward tip ends thereof.
In a fifteenth aspect of the present invention according to the tenth aspect, a plurality of the recording tapes are respectively wound on peripheral surfaces of the hub that differ in a direction of a rotation axis of the hub.
In a sixteenth aspect of the present invention according to the fifteenth aspect, the hub comprises an upper hub disposed at an upper position in a direction of the rotation axis of the hub and a lower hub disposed at a lower position, two recording tapes being respectively wound on the upper hub and the lower hub.
In a seventeenth aspect of the present invention according to the sixteenth aspect, the reel comprises a first flexible member and a second flexible member, and in the upper hub, a first holding portion; and a first engaged portion in which the first flexible member is engaged, are formed, and in the lower hub, a second holding portion; and a second engaged portion in which the second flexible member is engaged, are formed.
In an eighteenth aspect of the present invention according to the seventeenth aspect, the first flexible member covers the first holding portion and the first engaged portion, and the second flexible member covers the second holding portion and the second engaged portion.
A nineteenth aspect of the present invention is a drive device having a reel on which recording tapes are wound, the drive device comprising a hub of the reel, on which a plurality of holding portions, for holding leader members to which distal ends of the recording tapes are attached, are formed, and on which the recording tapes are wound.
A twentieth aspect of the present invention is a reel on which recording tapes are wound, the reel comprising a hub, on which a plurality of holding portions, for holding leader members to which distal ends of the recording tapes are attached, are formed, and on which the recording tapes are wound.
In the present invention, the plurality of the recording tape cartridges can be loaded in the drive device. The leader members are drawn from the plurality of the recording tape cartridges loaded on the drive device, and the leader members are held on the plurality of holding portions. Namely, a plurality of drawing and holding mechanisms are provided in the drive device. Therefore, when comparing this system with a system in which single drawing and holding mechanism is provided in the drive device, time necessary to draw the leader members and to hold the same on the hub can be reduced in this system in a case in which the plurality of the recording tape cartridges are to be handled.
Because the flexible members are accordingly wound, together with winding of the recording tapes, the recording tapes wound on the peripheries of the flexible members do not contact with the holding portions. Accordingly, the recording tapes do not contact with the uneven portions formed at the holding portions. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent occurrence of deformations of the recording tapes wound on the reel. Therefore, it is possible to prevent that regions of the recording tapes on which information cannot be recorded are generated or information recorded on the recording tapes is lost.
Further, because the plurality of the recording tapes are wound on the single reel, time necessary to read data or write data from the plurality of the recording tapes can be reduced according to a number of the recording tapes wound at the same time. Namely, in a case in which two recording tapes are wound on the single reel at the same time, time necessary to read data or write data from the two recording tapes can be the half. Further, because the plurality of the recording tape cartridges can be loaded or ejected at the same time in, for example, one winding operation, operation of loading or ejecting the plurality of the recording tape cartridges becomes easier and is not so troublesome.
It is possible that the upper flange and the lower flange are integrated with the hub in the reel, also, it is possible that the upper flange and the lower flange are not integrated with the hub in the reel. Further, it is possible that the reel includes only one of the upper flange or the lower flange, or does not include both the upper flange and the lower flange, as long as the recording tapes are wound on the peripheral of hub preferably.
It is preferable that the thicknesses of the distal end portions of the flexible members become gradually thinner toward the respective distal ends thereof. By this structure, it is prevented that uneven portions are formed at respective portions of the recording tapes, positioned outside the respective distal end portions. Further, it is prevented that uneven portions are formed at respective portions of the recording tapes abutted outside those respective portions of the recording tapes.